Beautiful cover.
Richly drawn characters.
Timely, poignant themes & storylines.
Mostly enjoyed the story and writing, tho at times both felt inconsistent.

With thanks to NetGalley & Mariner Books for this e-ARC.

"While twelve-year-old Ajay sat trembling in a jail cell, his parents were enjoying themselves at a dinner party."

If any book will spark you through a reading slump, "A Great Country" is it. Shilpi Somaya Gowda has written a novel that propels readers from one page to the next as tension builds over the Shah family and an event that has shaken their careful life built in Orange County, California.

The first part of the novel is constructed for maximum tension, building stories and backstories with great skill. Orange County has had the reputation for being white and conservative for decades, but things have changed. It is now as multicultural a place as you'll find. The Shah family, their friends, and community are beautifully drawn, as is their growing empathy for the many cultures around them. Gowda lets her taut line go slack in the last quarter of the novel, which is a disappointment. But until then, "A Great Country" is quite a ride.

Many thanks to Mariner Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

A GREAT COUNTRY is a well-written and compelling story that somehow manages to combine an enjoyable reading experience with an important societal message.

The family and community dynamics are very realistically portrayed, and I admire how the author tackles the theme of how minorities are treated. At times the story is hard to read for this reason; it made me sad to consider what certain members of our community endure.

The California setting plays into the theme of the American dream.

I like the length; so many novels these days feel bloated, whereas this one was kept to a good (short) length, which helps so much with pacing and keeping the reader's attention. Three cheers for short novels!

Thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary e-galley; all opinions are my own.

I finished this book in two days. As a second-generation American, I identified with some of the themes in the book, especially model-minority status and allyship. The family dynamics also rang true for me. I thought the main characters were well-drawn and realistic. But I thought some of side characters could have been fleshed out more (Vikram, the Bakers). I think even having the book set in California added to the sense of the families having "made it" in America. Overall, I thought this was a great novel.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this title.

The Shah family has just moved into the coveted Pacific Hills neighborhood. When Ashok and Priya immigrated to the US, they could only dream of one day living in this gated community with their children. They have worked hard to get to this point. Their oldest daughter, Deepa, isn't happy with the move and has constant arguments with her parents who she considers close minded. Maya, the middle daughter, is desperate to fit in to this new school and has even become close friends with the daughter of a wealthy family. When the youngest child, 12 year old Ajay, is arrested, the Shah's have to face some hard truths about themselves and their community.
I didnt just read this book, I FELT this book. The struggles of new immigrants, and raising children in this foreign country. Wanting to blend in yet hold on to your roots. I saw my parents while reading about the characters. As an adult, I have such a new appreciation for my parents and what they went through. As a child of immigrants, I also relate to the experiences of the children. This book brought about so many emotions within me.
This book takes the fear that every brown skinned immigrant tries so hard to hide, and shines a bright light on it. It is exhausting trying to assimilate, not bring unwanted attention to yourself, and still live a normal life, but nothing about a life like that is normal.
This was a pretty quick read, I almost wished it was longer because there seemed to be so much more to delve into, especially the other families in the book, particularly the Bakers and the Sharmas, as well as the police officers. I've enjoyed the author's other books as well and look forward to more from her.
Thank you to Netgalley and Mariner Books for providing the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I greatly enjoyed this book about a family’s immigrant experience, and learned some things I did not know. The story flowed well, and the characters were interesting. I felt the story was powerful and could have been even more so, I am a fan of this author, with my favorite of hers being The Golden Son.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.